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(No Model.)

0. H. GOEBEL.

UNDERGROUND GONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

No. 259,130. Patented June.6,1882.

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V4 w g BY Nv FETERS. Pholn-Lilhographer. Washlllglon. o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHRISTIAN H. GOEBEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE W. BRATTON, OF SAME PLACE.

UNDERGROUND CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,130, dated June 6, 1882.

Application filed March 7, 18: 2. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OIIRIsTIAN H. GoEBEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Underground Conduits for Electric Wires, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which-- m Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a portion of the conduit embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section thereof. Fig. 3 is section of a portion in line 00 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of the conduit. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section thereof. Fig. 7 is a sectional View, enlarged, of the key employed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to underground telegraphs and itconsistsin the construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, A represents an underground conduit formed of slabs of slate or other stone, iron, or suitable material, the base, sides, and top pieces, a, of which are fitted together so as to remain securely in position.

B represents posts or standards, which are secured to the side pieces of the conduit, and provided with hooks b, on which are sustained the pipes 0, through which the wires E are passed. The standards B have openings d, and the sides of the conduits have openings d at coincident places, into which are introduced the pipes or branches 0, for making connections of the wires in the pipes O with those required above the surface. The pipes are coated with tar or other suitable material.

I11 order to indicate the nature of the wires leading through the branches 0, I employ plates or markers D, which are secured to the sidewalk, street, or other proper place at coincident places above the branches, said plates having marks or" characters on their exposed faces--such as T for telegraph, P for telephone, and L or E L forthe electric light so that whatever connection is to be made it is only necessary to dig the ground beneath the 50 place occupied by the indicator of the kind of wire it is desired to reach and with which to make connection, thus avoiding the disturbance of more ground than is necessary and any uncertainty in reaching the proper branch.

The pipes G are split in their longitudinal direction, so that they open, and within each of them is titted a rubber or gutta-percha covered wire, E, the covering being vulcanized,at'- ter beingintroduced into the pipes, by heating or the usual method ot'vulcanizing the rubber, thereby closing tightly on the wire, thus preventing shrinkage, which would create an airspace. The diameter of the wire and covering is greater than the diameter of the pipe prior to splitting or separation. The covered wire is readily inserted into the pipe by separating the sections, laying the covered wire between them, and closing them again. After the insertion is accomplished, I apply to the surface of the pipe a screw -clamp, F, of less diameter .70 than the pipe when separated, so that when the screws of the clamp are tightened the clamp closes, or partly closes, the pipe, and the tube compresses the rubber against the wire,whereby the rubber, which is an insulator, entirely fills the space of the pipe and hugs the wire at every point of its surface, whereby the insulation of the wire is perfect. Furthermore, the wire is securely within the pipe, in which condition the pipes may be transported and handled without danger of displacement of the wire or abrasion of the insulation.

In order to afford access to the wires in the pipes G at the places where the branches 0 are connected, I employ Ts or couplings O", which are split or'divided, so that one section may be removed, thus exposing the insulatingcovering of the wire; or for purposes of change of direction of the wire to the right or left the Ts may be employed, and lateral connections 0 formed with the main length of wire, said connections being readily fitted in position after removing one ofthe sections ofthe T, after which said section is restored and screwed or clamped to the other part.

In order to couple the pipes, I employ'a unioncoupling, G, consisting of a nut which is swiveled to the end of one pipe and engages with a screw-collar on the other pipe. One end of the wire in each pipe projects beyond the ruhmo ber covering, and the opposite end of the wire does not reach to the end of the covering at the latter end, or is set back, thus forming a socket, into which the projecting end of the wire of the adjacent pipe is received. Now, when the pipes are laid they are connected by the couplings Gr, and thereby drawn tightly together, so that the wires at the ends of adjacent pipes are brought in contact and held securely together, thus causing the continuity of the wire.

In order to control the passage of electric currents to houses, sidewalks, and other localities, the connection between the branch 0 and pipe 0' leading into the houses or to the sidewalks, &c., is broken, as at c, Fig. 7, or the wires of the branches 0 and pipes G are connected to opposite sides of a box, H. A rotatable insulated plug, J, is fitted to said box and carries a bar or wire, K, which in one position connects the ends of the wires of the branch and pipe 0' and in the other leaves said ends, thus breaking the connection ofthe wires, these operations being accomplished by turning the plug J, and thus the supply of electricity may be let on or cut off, as desired.

The conduit A,being constructed of slabs or pieces of slate, stone, or iron, forms a tube in which numerous wire-containing pipes may be laid or sustained independent of each other, its interior being dry and readily permitting the entrance and passage of persons whose work requires it.

So much of this specification as relates to the split tube and split T-coupling, and the devices for making and breakiuga circuit adapted to be operated from the surface of the ground, will form the subject-matter of another application, and will be claimed therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric conductor or cable composed of pipes formed of separate or sectional pipes, each section containing a conductor with an inclosing insulating material, such conductor constructed with a recessed end, as described, and having its other end projecting beyond the end of the section, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. Thepipes with inclosed wires and branches 0, in combination with the conduit provided with indicators D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The method of insulating electric wires, consisting in surrounding them with vulcanizable insulating material, inclosing this material in split pipes, and clamping said pipes together, so as to compress said material during the application of heat, substantially as set forth.

CHRISTIAN H. GOEBEL.

Witnesses H. E. GARSED, A. P. GRANT. 

